Equity, the actors’ union in Australia, last week declared that it is on strike and that its members will not work on foreign (“offshore”) TV commercials until a labor agreement is reached with the Screen Producers Association of Australia (SPAA).
Back in June, SPAA exercised a 45-day out clause, announcing its intent to withdraw on Aug. 7 from the offshore commercials contract with Equity that had been in effect since 2005. SPAA contends that this contract has put Australia at a competitive disadvantage, translating into a significant decrease in foreign spot work, particularly from the U.S. and U.K.
Geoff Brown, executive director of SPAA, said that New Zealand, South Africa and Canada have wrested away offshore work that had typically been shot in Australia because by comparison employing actors is more expensive and complex Down Under due to terms of the Equity contract.
“When we first negotiated that contract [in ’05], transparency about rates was thought to have been desirable,” said Brown. “But it has turned against us. We need more flexibility to be competitive. We need to break out of the straitjacket of fixed session fees and fixed usage rates so we can be more responsive to our clients, especially in light of the tight global economy.”
Brown said that producers have been able to save some offshore jobs by going on a per project basis to Equity to attain certain flexibility in compensation. But this individual case-by-case modus operandi is no way to do business given the pressing time schedules of the advertising industry. He contended that a more flexible working agreement is needed. “We have clients from the U.S. coming to us and asking for a quote that is within a certain talent budget range, and we cannot meet those requests under the labor agreement we had in place.”
Brown added, though, that SPAA does not want to throw out the entire agreement. He said that SPAA would like to retain a safety net of work practice protections for actors, contingencies for cancellations, postponements and the like.
SPAA and Equity representatives met a couple of weeks ago, and both sides expressed a desire for continued dialogue. However that dialogue has not yet come to pass. Simon Whipp, director of Equity (which is part of Australia’s Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance–MEAA), claimed that SPAA had not responded to an Equity invite for further discussion. He noted that in their last communique, SPAA “advised us they were prepared to negotiate a new agreement covering anything other than money. But money is a central issue that needs to be addressed.”
Whipp said he shares SPAA’s desire to keep and attract more offshore production. But he affirmed that SPAA pulling out of the contract unilaterally sans consulting with Equity is no way to do that.
Brown, however, claimed that SPAA has expressed strong concerns to Equity about the labor contract dating back to ’07 when it was becoming apparent that Australia was losing a major share of foreign business.
Whipp said that Equity was preparing for possible picketing of casting agents and/or commercial productions seeking to engage performers in breach of the strike.
Brown meanwhile noted that SPAA, if need be, could formulate and release contingency plans this week for producers in response to the strike.
Whipp said so-called “contingencies” like trying to get Equity members to break ranks and work, or bringing in foreign performers won’t fly. “If I’m an advertising executive in Chicago or New York, the last thing I want is uncertainty if I’m considering producing a commercial in Australia. We would like to create certainty by getting back into talks for a contract.”
Brown observed that the “strike” that truly concerns him is the one being conducted by “our offshore clients who are no longer working here. If we cannot attract foreign work, then what are the actors striking against? There’s little or no work to strike unless we make some changes.”
Gene Hackman Died Of Heart Disease; Hantavirus Claimed His Wife’s Life About One Week Prior
Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico hillside home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer's disease, authorities revealed Friday. Both deaths were ruled to be from natural causes, chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said alongside state fire and health officials at a news conference. "Mr. Hackman showed evidence of advanced Alzheimer's disease," Jarrell said. "He was in a very poor state of health. He had significant heart disease, and I think ultimately that's what resulted in his death." Authorities didn't suspect foul play after the bodies of Hackman, 95, and Betsy Arakawa, 65, were discovered Feb 26. Immediate tests for carbon monoxide poisoning were negative. Investigators found that the last known communication and activity from Arakawa was Feb. 11 when she visited a pharmacy, pet store and grocery before returning to their gated neighborhood that afternoon, Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Friday. Hackman's pacemaker last showed signs of activity a week later and that he had an abnormal heart rhythm Feb. 18, the day he likely died, Jarrell said. Although there was no reliable way to determine the date and time when both died, all signs point to their deaths coming a week apart, Jarrell said. "It's quite possible he was not aware she was deceased," Jarrell said. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, said he believes Hackman was severely impaired due to Alzheimer's disease and unable to deal with his wife's death in the last week of his life. "You are talking about very severe Alzheimer's disease that normal people would be in a nursing home or have a nurse, but she was taking care... Read More